It might surprise you considering the breadth of my content, but I am actually a personal trainer and fitness blogger by trade. I know that I talk about such a wide range of topics from furniture through to tall fashion that sometimes the health and wellness elements of my job get lost in the mix. However, taking care of my body and mind is a huge priority for me. I am always keen to learn more, incorporate new habits into my routine and optimise my own wellbeing. So I thought today I could share with you a handful of the daily practices I swear by to help me feel and function at my best.
1. Sunlight.
This might sound a little random, but I endeavor to get sunlight to hit my retina (aka my eyeballs) within the first hour of waking. This is as a result of listening to the Huberman Lab podcast, which states that this triggers our circadian rhythm helping to regulate our sleep wake cycle. Plus I also try to delay my first caffeinated coffee or tea until a couple of hours after waking, to ensure my body is capable of kick starting without it. Then the caffeine just gives me an extra boost!
2. The Outdoors.
If you follow me then you’re probably already aware of this, but I ensure I get outside every single day. Ideally for a minimum of a thirty minute walk. This not only helps me move my body and get my steps in, but it calms my mind and connects me with nature. Nothing quite gives me the feeling that being surrounded by trees, greenery and countryside views does – it is literally food for my soul and dissolves my stress.
3. A Diverse Diet.
I eat a mostly wholefood plant based diet, so I naturally gravitate towards nourishing ingredients. However, to support my gut health and overall wellbeing I try to ensure that the food I eat isn’t too repetitive. I consciously ensure that on a daily basis I am including a wide variety of whole plant foods in my meals, switching up the legumes, wholegrains, vegetables and fruits which are on our plates. To make this more fun I focus on seasonal ingredients and experimenting with new recipes.
4. Rise & Sleep Early.
I am naturally an early riser, I love nothing more than starting my day before the world wakes up. I find that my efficiency and productivity peaks in the morning, so the more hours of work I can get done before midday the better. That being said, to enable me to do this I prioritise sleep and ensure that I get to bed early. If my alarm is going off at 5.30am then I am in bed by 9 and asleep by 9.30, giving me an 8 hour sleeping window.
5. Reflection.
Every night before I go to sleep, my boyfriend and I do our daily reflections. We share with each other three things we are grateful for from that day, one way we could have improved on and one intention for the following day. It helps us to not only connect with each other, but it also ensures we take time to self-reflect and find the good in even the most challenging day.
What are the daily health practices that you swear by? Let me know on social media @zannavandijk.
Zanna x
